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We’re ensuring consumers have the tools they need to protect themselves from identity thieves.

When Equifax lost the critical financial data of more than 147 million Americans, it was a startling reminder that we need a lot more control over our personal information.

We didn't hire the three big credit unions—Equifax, Experian and TransUnion—to collect and sell financial data about us, and we certainly didn't give them permission to lose it. So why should we have to pay them to keep our financial information private and secure? We shouldn’t. And we should have more control over our own information.

We’re working to make sure that Equifax is held fully accountable for exposing the financial data of more than 147 million Americans. And we're working to pass new laws and enact new rules to protect consumers' personal financial information. If you haven't taken steps to protect yourself after the Equifax data breach, we recommend you take a look at the resources provided below. We answer some of the most common questions we get from consumers about how they can protect themselves from identity thieves.

SECURITY FREEZE Q & A

How can I protect myself from identity theft?

Request a free credit report. All three credit bureaus must give any consumer one free report per year by law. Suspected fraud
victims are eligible for additional free reports. Be on the lookout for any illegal or unusual activity. Consider placing a security (or credit) freeze on your credit. This is the best way to protect yourself from new account identity theft.

SECURITY FREEZE Q & A

Will a security freeze make it hard for me to get a loan?

You can unfreeze or “thaw” your credit report when you want to apply for new credit. Freezes can be temporarily or permanently lifted when you want.

Will a security freeze hurt my credit score?

A security freeze does not affect your credit score. In fact, a security freeze can protect your score if someone tries to fraudulently apply for credit in your name.

Is a security freeze expensive?

There is a $2 to $12 fee for each of the three major national credit bureaus each time you freeze or unfreeze your credit, depending on the state.

Are there free security freezes available?

You can get a free security freeze if you can prove that you are an identity theft victim. Some states offer them for free to consumers 65 years or older. There are six states where freezes are free to all consumers: Colorado, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Can I get a security freeze for my children?

Security freezes can also be placed by parents and legal guardians of minors and medically incapacitated consumers.

We live in the age of big data. More and more information about the private details of our lives is collected, analyzed and sold by massive financial institutions, and, too often this information is handled irresponsibly, or put at risk without our consent or control.

We Need New Rules And Safeguards

It is unacceptable that Equifax — one of the gatekeepers to our financial success — would leave itself vulnerable to an attack of the magnitude we saw in 2017. And after the Equifax hack became front page news, it was revealed that the credit bureau could likely have prevented the breach — and it certainly could have done a much better job helping consumers protect themselves in the aftermath.

If you haven’t taken steps to protect yourself, you should. But in most states, protecting your credit will require you to pay a fee, and jump through hoops to ensure all three credit agencies protect your data.

We shouldn’t have to rely on firms like Equifax to protect our financial information, and we shouldn’t have to pay them to fix their mistakes. It should be our legal right to protect ourselves from identity theft.

The best way to prevent new account identity theft is to freeze your credit report. When you want credit, you can temporarily unfreeze your report. Our network helped pass the first state freeze law in California 15 years ago, and now we’re supporting legislation that would set free freezes for all Americans as the floor of protection. We’re mobilizing support for the FREE Act in Congress, which would give all Americans the ability to freeze and unfreeze their credit at the three major credit bureaus at no cost.

Staff in our state network are working on free credit freeze bills in six states, including Massachusetts, Illinois and California, and we are working in two other states to improve their existing credit freeze laws.

Our staff are ready to educate, organize and advocate on behalf of the public interest to make this happen, but we need your help.

Take Control of Your Personal Data

Equifax lost the personal information of more than 147 million people. Help make it free and simple for consumers to freeze and unfreeze their credit files. Tell your senators to support the FREE Act.